Health Topics

Anaplasmosis

Cause:

A deer ticks (Ixodes) carries bacteria and bites dogs, spreading infection.

Most common signs of infection:

• Lack of energy
• High fever
• Swollen, very painful joints
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

Disease Progression (if left untreated)

Very low numbers of platelets and white blood cells, chronic joint pain, neurological signs (rare)

Co-infection:

Co-infection with Lyme disease is possible. In addition, it's possible for your dog to become infected with any combination of parasitic diseases.

Diagnosis

• Simple blood test: Snap 4DX Test can detect four infections (Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis, Heartworm disease) in one blood sample in less than 10 minutes.
• Other tests: Complete blood count, chemistry profile, urinalysis and other special tests, depending on initial findings and symptoms.

Treatment

Antibiotics: doxycycline, tetracycline

Prognosis

If caught and treated early, the outcome is usually very good for a full recovery from symptoms.

Prevention

Daily tick inspection and removal, and the use of topicals and other veterinarian dispensed products.

Important: No prevention is 100% effective. Test your dog every year.